340 NATURAL HISTORY. 



consequently they are usually planted near to villages, and surrounded by fields of wheat, barley, and 

 other grain. A species of lupin called rhur is cultivated in large quantities. It grows luxuriantly, 

 generally to the height of eight or nine feet, forming quite a wilderness. ... In these rhur fields 

 Hogs delight, as they are completely umbrageous, but being open below, admit the air freely. Besides, 

 this wild rice growing very thick among the rhur, and a kind of soft downy grass about a foot in height, 

 they find themselves very comfortably situated. About the middle of March, or, at the latest, by the 

 beginning of April, the Hogs must shift their quarters, the canes and grain being by this time 

 generally cut. However, they often retain possession to the last moment, frequently disputing every 

 inch with the reapers, and not rarely causing them to leave parts uncut, in the hope that the Hogs 

 will evacuate them ; which, if the jungle whither they must betake themselves happen to be remote, 

 they feel no great disposition to do. For at this season the Hog is extremely heavy and indolent, in 

 consequence of the abundance of the excellent food to which he has, for five or six months, been 

 habituated. Hogs are often killed in March with three and four inches of fat on their chines 

 and shoulders. Exclusive of the habits of ease in which he has so long indulged, it is probable the 

 Hog feels diffident as to his want of exercise, and ability to travel under such a mass of flesh. 

 Besides, he is extremely tenacious of the spot which has so long pampered him ; and, although unable 

 to proceed any distance without being blown, yet the short sallies he makes to attack such as venture 

 near his haunt are marked with vigour and resolution. Sometimes he will do considerable mischief 

 with his tusks. . . . Great numbers are at this season either caught in nets made for the purpose, 

 or they are shot by the shekarries, or native sportsmen, a circumstance that never fails to afford a 

 happy triumph to the affrighted villagers." 



The Wild Boar of India is hunted usually by men on horseback, armed with spears of a more or 

 less variable length, averaging from about six feet and a half to eight and sometimes ten feet. The 

 shaft of a spear consists of bamboo properly weighted with lead ; the spear itself is a broad and stout 

 blade. It is held by a man on horseback in such a manner that about a foot and a half projects in 

 front of the stirrup-iron, and the Horse is ridden in such a way that when the Boar charges it is 

 transfixed by the spear. 



An account of a Wild Boar hunt of an exceptionally interesting and exciting nature is related 

 by Captain Shakespeare : " While beating the sugar canes for Wild Hogs, a few miles from Hingolu, 

 a villager came and said, ' If you want to see a Hog come with me;' and leading the way over the brow 

 of a hill, pointed out an object in a field below, that in the mist of the morning appeared like a large 

 blue rock, much too large for a Hog. However, the object presently got on its legs, and dissipated 

 every doubt existing as to its character. About a hundred yards distant from the animal was a fissure 

 in the hills, thickly wooded, and here, no doubt, was the Boar's lair ; and if he took alarm and rushed 

 thither, it would be next to impossible to dislodge him. A savage Boar in his stronghold is as difficult 

 to oust as the Grizzly Bear from his winter cave in the Rocky Mountains. He constantly rushes out, 

 knocks over and gores the beaters nearest the mouth of his retreat, and then skips back again before 

 there is the shadow of a chance of spearing him." 



After describing the way in which he managed to place himself between the Boar and his 

 retreat, Captain Shakespeare continues : 



" Standing as I was, behind a hedge considerably higher than my mare's head, I did not see the 

 Boar. The duffadar (native officer) was some thirty yards to my left, and looking over a lower part 

 of the hedge, shouted out, ' Look out ! here he comes ! ' The mare was standing still, and I had but 

 just time to drop my spear point, which caught the Boar in the rise, and the blade was buried in his 

 withers. My mare, from her standing position, cleared with one bound the Boar, spear and all, as 

 this was carried out of my hand ; then suddenly turning, was in her stride after the Hog. The Hog 

 had but seventy yards to reach the jungle, and just as he struck the first branch of the jungle with his 

 back, breaking in two the shaft of my spear (which was still fast in his body), the duffadav closed with 

 him. The Boar, having been missed by the spear, ran under the duffadar's Horse, and for thirty yards 

 lifted him off his legs, plunging and kicking till the rider came to the ground. Fortunately we had 

 three Dogs with us ; and having shouted to the people to let them go, they came up and took the 

 attention of the Boar at the moment he was on the duffadar, who had fallen on his sword and broken 

 it, and was utterly helpless. The next moment the Boar made full tilt for his stronghold, the Dogs 



